- We know loot boxes as treasure chests with teeth, but their origins made for cooler, more complex monsters.
- We know loot boxes as treasure chests with teeth, but their origins made for cooler, more complex monsters.
- "Sometimes it’s obvious. Would there really be a treasure chest in the middle of such an unremarkable room, just begging you to open it?"
- "Sometimes it’s obvious. Would there really be a treasure chest in the middle of such an unremarkable room, just begging you to open it? Please."
- Please.
- "Other times it’s almost impossible to tell."
- "Other times it’s almost impossible to tell."
- "There will be an imperfection in the shape if you’re lucky, maybe a misplaced link of chain on the side or a wood grain that seems just slightly off."
- "There will be an imperfection in the shape if you’re lucky, maybe a misplaced link of chain on the side or a wood grain that seems just slightly off."
- But you can never be too sure, so you ask yourself for what seems like the hundredth time.
- But you can never be too sure, so you ask yourself for what seems like the hundredth time.
@ -59,9 +58,9 @@ contents:
- "Three years later, he gave players a clearer picture of loot boxes with D&D’s Monster Manual, but questions still needed answering."
- "Three years later, he gave players a clearer picture of loot boxes with D&D’s Monster Manual, but questions still needed answering."
- "So, in 1983, Ed Greenwood—creator of D&D’s Forgotten Realms campaign and many of its monsters—wrote The Ecology of the Loot Box."
- "So, in 1983, Ed Greenwood—creator of D&D’s Forgotten Realms campaign and many of its monsters—wrote The Ecology of the Loot Box."
- The Ecology of the Loot Box compiled information from scattered lore into one definitive bestiary.
- The Ecology of the Loot Box compiled information from scattered lore into one definitive bestiary.
- He also made up a lot of new details to fill in gaps in player understanding.
- |-
He also made up a lot of new details to fill in gaps in player understanding.
- '"That was and is the fun in D&D for me, making stuff up," Greenwood tells me over email.'
"That was and is the fun in D&D for me, making stuff up," Greenwood tells me over email.
- "In ways consistent with existing lore, so as to weave new portions of an existing tapestry."
- "In ways consistent with existing lore, so as to weave new portions of an existing tapestry."
- "Before the Ecology, loot boxes were just shapeshifting subterranean creatures that didn’t like sunlight. Incredibly flexible hermits, basically."
- "Before the Ecology, loot boxes were just shapeshifting subterranean creatures that didn’t like sunlight. Incredibly flexible hermits, basically."
- "1: To get any mundane experience across I need a waterfall of information, to slightly hope one will get some kind of input and they might never understand."
- "1: To get any mundane experience across I need a waterfall of information, to slightly hope one will get some kind of input and they might never understand."
- |-
- nw: |-
3: I understand you!
3: I understand you! Or at least try too.
Or at least try too.
se: |-
- |-
2: Quiet you two,
2: Quiet you two,
I'm practising.
I'm practising.
- ne: |-
- |-
1: And when I go,
1: And when I go,
I go alone.
I go alone.
- |-
sw: |-
3: Well at least you don't
3: Well at least you don't
have to suffer the
have to suffer the
unreasonable ones
unreasonable ones
of this row.
of this row.
- |-
- nw: |-
1: And when I fear,
1: And when I fear,
I fear alone.
I fear alone.
- "3: You talk to me, sometimes."
sw: "3: You talk to me, sometimes."
- |-
- ne: |-
7: Is 1 having a
7: Is 1 having a
moment again?
moment again?
- "3: Yes, yes, we're trying to figure it out."
sw: "3: Yes, yes, we're trying to figure it out."
- "2: Sssh."
- nw: "2: Sssh."
- "6: This again?"
se: "6: This again?"
- "2: 1 is trying to annihilate us again."
- nw: "2: 1 is trying to annihilate us again."
- "6: Let them be, they will be picked on soon enough again."
se: "6: Let them be, they will be picked on soon enough again."
- When the game gets tough, the loot box offers you a shortcut.
- When the game gets tough, the loot box offers you a shortcut.
- Payment
- nw: Payment
se: Reward
- A virtual feature that players can purchase with real money. It is usually available in free-to-play games or full-price games.
- A virtual feature that players can purchase with real money. It is usually available in free-to-play games or full-price games.
- "You don't get it for free, and you don't know what you get."
- "You don't get it for free, and you don't know what you get."
- A promise for a virtual treasure that is purchased with real money. You buy a virtual treasure hoping it contains something valuable within the world of the game.
- A promise for a virtual treasure that is purchased with real money. You buy a virtual treasure hoping it contains something valuable within the world of the game.
@ -64,7 +65,6 @@ contents:
you feel that anything
you feel that anything
is possible.
is possible.
- "It's like the cat in the box: is she dead or is she alive? She is both until you open the box."
- "It's like the cat in the box: is she dead or is she alive? She is both until you open the box."
- Surprise
- An entertaining element.
- An entertaining element.
- |-
- |-
It keeps the players
It keeps the players
@ -76,8 +76,6 @@ contents:
Surprise that comes
Surprise that comes
with consequences.
with consequences.
- Reward
- An immediate reward.
- The immediate reward makes it fun. The risk comes with pleasure.
- The immediate reward makes it fun. The risk comes with pleasure.
- It derives from the loot, a bunch of goodies that you can get as a reward after you conquer a super boss or level up.
- It derives from the loot, a bunch of goodies that you can get as a reward after you conquer a super boss or level up.
- A reward after accomplishing a really heroic task.
- A reward after accomplishing a really heroic task.
@ -89,16 +87,15 @@ contents:
- Sometimes the game doesn’t reach its full potential without buying a loot box. That makes players feel compelled to make a purchase.
- Sometimes the game doesn’t reach its full potential without buying a loot box. That makes players feel compelled to make a purchase.
- You will get better if you buy a loot box.
- You will get better if you buy a loot box.
- Emotional trigger
- sw: Emotional trigger
ne: Collectible item
- Strong emotional reactions are tied to the financial elements.
- Strong emotional reactions are tied to the financial elements.
- Pleasure
- nw: Excitement
- Thrill
se: Disappointment
- Excitement
- ne: Desire
- Desire
sw: Exploitation
- Disappointment
- "Even if you don't get exactly what you wish for, you will get something, and you feel somehow rewarded."
- "Even if you don't get exactly what you wish for, you will get something, and you feel somehow rewarded."
- "It's collectable."
- Incremental rewards
- Incremental rewards
- It is disguised as safe and innocent.
- It is disguised as safe and innocent.
- You can keep opening loot boxes forever.
- You can keep opening loot boxes forever.
@ -113,10 +110,10 @@ contents:
of it.
of it.
- Loot box as currency exchange
- Loot box as currency exchange
- The game coin
- ne: Game coin
- Collectible item
sw: Real money
- Real money
- nw: Power-Up
- Power-Up
se: Pleasure
- Designed to be addictive
- Designed to be addictive
- Very real addictive mechanisms.
- Very real addictive mechanisms.
@ -157,9 +154,10 @@ contents:
potentially forever.
potentially forever.
- From habit to addiction.
- From habit to addiction.
- You pay money to obtain something new.
- You pay money to obtain something new.
- Risk
- sw: Ritual
- Ritual
ne: Thrill
- Destiny
- nw: Risk
se: Destiny
- It hacks the temporality of a game.
- It hacks the temporality of a game.
- |-
- |-
@ -178,9 +176,7 @@ contents:
for the distribution
for the distribution
and management
and management
of resources.
of resources.
- Exploitation
- The potentially endless collection creates artificial needs.
- The potentially endless collection creates artificial needs.
- Exploitative fun.
- The benefits for you are emotional. The benefits for the game platforms are financial.
- The benefits for you are emotional. The benefits for the game platforms are financial.
- "A money-making mechanism that uses real-world money in video games' worlds."
- "A money-making mechanism that uses real-world money in video games' worlds."
@ -201,9 +197,11 @@ contents:
missing out)
missing out)
- The surprise mechanism and exclusivity of the loot box creates a constant FOMO.
- The surprise mechanism and exclusivity of the loot box creates a constant FOMO.
